Do No Harm
by Wander101
Summary: The war was over. Nel got what she wanted. Right? For every choice there is a consequence. When the Federation comes to Elicoor II it's time to face those consequences. She's learned life can't always be about the mission. But she still hasn't learned to let go. FaytxNel, and not just to be different.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't anything related to Star Ocean.

Title: Do No Harm

Prologue

A/N: I can't believe I finally got around to writing something for Star Ocean: Till the End of Time. But I always enjoyed this game and there is so little written for it, that's not about Albel. This story changes one event slightly. Although I will bring it back into line later. I always wondered what if the 4D being hadn't intervened so early in the game.

I'm sorry if this feels kind of rushed. That's because it was. This will lean in the Fayt/Nel direction. They go through so much together in the first disc. And as an optional character, Nel can spend almost the entire game with Fayt.

* * *

Nel closed one hand over the sword's hilt, the other resting on the scabbard. The weapon still felt strange in her hands, its weight unfamiliar. No. Not unfamiliar, just wrong. Unnaturally heavy.

Eyes closed, she sighed softly. It was just her imagination. She knew without a doubt its balance was perfect. Nel laid the sword down one the tabletop more gently than was necessary, more than was appropriate for a weapon. Her fingers lingered on the pommel. She knew the sword almost as well as her own shorter blades.

The blade: long, broad, and double edged. A single fuller ran the length of the ash colored sword. A leather wrapped hilt, molded to the wielder's hand over countless battles. Bought in Airyglyph (a rarity considering the war) and refined at the crafting table. She wasn't fond of longer swords. They didn't suit her build or her fighting style. And their added reach gave her fits to fight against. But this one was different than most. Technically a bastard sword, wielded with one hand or two. Versatile. Almost elegant. And more than a little menacing (not a bad quality for a weapon). How many soldiers would have proudly carried it into battle?

Her eyes fell over the scabbard. Such a simple piece. Old and worn. But well maintained. A poor match for the sword. Made of nothing but wood and leather, dyed blue.

Blue.

How appropriate.

Nel's lips twitched. Alone in one of the castle's guest rooms she allowed herself a smile. If there was one color, one word, she would associate with Fayt… It suited him. She was proud of that, even if she would never admit it. She'd picked it up for her mission, before ever meeting him.

And that meeting had not gone well.

She'd gotten directly to the point. As always. Demanded their technology and threatened to kill them if necessary to keep it out of enemy hands. And it wasn't an idle threat.

She was willing to cross a lot of lines for the sake of the mission.

"_I don't have anything against you two. But my duty comes first."_

Her smile waivered.

Fayt made her wonder which line was too many.

"_I don't need to remind you that you can't help your father if you're dead."_

She pulled her hand away from the sword.

With a sigh, Nel Zelpher, AKA the Crimson Blade, war maiden of Aquaria, and top operative of the Secret Legion, flopped backwards onto her bed. She stared at the peach colored ceiling without really seeing it, lost in her thoughts. Minutes, maybe hours, passed.

"You were ordered to rest. Her Majesty didn't intend for you to sulk." Clair Lasbard stood in the doorway, arms crossed. Three strides brought the silver haired woman to the edge of the bed and she peered down at Nel, a stern (albeit upside down) expression on her face. "You can't hide in here the whole time."

Nel Zelpher did not sulk. She just felt restless and angry and empty inside. Not that she'd admit that to Clair. Although Clair probably suspected. They'd been friends for so long.

Said friend was just trying to get a rise out of her. Normally it might have angered her, would have gotten some sort of immediate response. It was a testament to her mood that she didn't jump to take the bait. So she returned to her staring match with the ceiling tiles. She didn't even look at Clair when she spoke. "I take my meals in the common hall."

"True." Clair eyed her critically. "A little exercise might be good."

Nel sat up, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "What are you implying?"

"If you're so unhappy here in Aquios", Clair held out a scroll bearing the royal seal. "You can deliver this to Arias." Not waiting for an answer the commander of the Shield Legion started towards the door until something caught her eye. When she turned back to Nel she held a familiar sword and sheath in her hands.

Something…possessive flashed across Nel's eyes and for the first time Clair's expression softened. "I'll keep it safe", she promised. "Now shoo!"

. . . . .

Nel found herself outside the holy city's gates. Arias was a bit of a trek but it was still early. And it wasn't a bad day for travel. Still plenty of daylight and a clear sky.

The sky…

"I'm sorry Fayt."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. If it seems to angsty or anyone is OOC, let me know. I truly appreciate constructive criticism.


	2. Dragons, Guns, Spaceships, Action!

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Star Ocean.

Do No Harm

Chapter 1: Dragons, Guns, Spaceships, Action!

A/N: Does anyone actually read these notes at the beginning? Probably not.

* * *

Looking back, it should have been the single greatest moment of her life. After what felt like countless setbacks Nel and her friends were taking the fight to the Vendeeni.

They had completed the Thunder Arrow, secured Airyglyph's aid, and won Crossel to their cause. They even repelled the Vendeeni at the Shrine of Kadden, defending the Sacred Orb. And now, Nel sat at the controls of Elicoor's most advanced weapon, riding the massive dragon Crossel, preparing to face an enemy from beyond the stars.

None of that mattered.

All she felt was an emptiness in her stomach, a gnawing void, that every soldier feels as they stare into the horizon waiting for the enemy. Her entire world shrank to the space between the weapon's sights. Her friends where out there, riding on the dragon's back. She could make out the occasional word over the roaring sound of the wind. But inside the cabin of the Thunder Arrow she felt completely alone. There wasn't a lot of room. But considering what was at stake, she wouldn't have turned down some company.

Except for Albel. The war might have been over. They may have even fought together. The fact remained, he _enjoyed_ hurting people.

Or Roger. The little Menodix had his moments but she could never stand his antics in such a confined space.

And Cliff, he would have been almost as bad as Roger.

Then there was the other Klausian. Mirage, while a very reasonable person was practically a stranger. And so quiet Nel might as well have been alone.

And Maria _was_ a stranger. The bluenette™ (Cliff claimed to have invented the term) was a little harder to get along with. But Nel attributed that to the situation. Everyone was on edge. But the girl was dangerously close to obsession. Sometimes, usually around Fayt, her mask would slip. Her voice would catch or she'd stare at him when she thought no one was looking.

Fayt. His presence would have been welcome. There was something about the other bluenette™ (damn Cliff), it was almost impossible not to like him.

"Here we go. Follow the rear ship." Maria called out, barely audible over the wind. Nel cleared her mind, tried to salvage some of her professionalism.

Crossel obviously heard her. The great dragon wheeled to the left and the massive ship filled her vision. The target shifted, or rather the dragon kept moving. Nel clutched the controls, waiting for-

"Fire!"

Nel called on her runological powers and channeled the energy into the controls. It was like pushing against a sealed door.

Fayt had explained the concept of "activation threshold", a minimum amount of energy needed before the weapon would respond. There had been more but he'd boiled it all down for her as best he could. How could such a young man have such a strong grasp in so many areas of study? Most of the research department had commented on Fayt's age. Those that didn't just knew to hold their tongues. Nel had been more than a little amused at Lady Elena and Dion's reactions to Fayt's "minor" improvements. And there was no small amount of pride either.

Gritting her teeth she pushed everything she could into the weapon. Her hands trembled.

The door opened.

The Thunder Arrow practically ripped the energy away from her. Instinctively, she pulled away from the controls, tried to let go, only to find her hands were stuck. For one terrifying instant she thought the weapon would keep drawing runological energy out of her until it killed her. But the moment passed and she was fine.

Foolish. Why would anyone create a weapon like that? Besides, if that was the cost of firing the Thunder Arrow the researchers would have told her. Fayt would never have allowed her to sit at the controls if it posed any danger to her. Nel fought the urge to hide her face behind her scarf. Thank Apris no one could see into the cabin.

She felt the energy pulse within the weapon, building up in the copper coils and other mechanisms she didn't begin to understand.

Then it fired and she understood why they named it the Thunder Arrow. The recoil felt like a shockwave. Thunder without sound, just an immense pressure pushing against her chest.

The red beam of energy raced toward the enemy, flanked by all the lesser runological weapons, only to slam harmlessly into a barrier of orange light surrounding the ship.

"Is it working?" Who was that? She couldn't be sure.

"It has to be." Fayt's voice. "Keep firing Nel!"

"I'm trying!" Obviously. Trusting her friends to stay on target, she closed her eyes and focused on the weapon. She felt the Thunder Arrow pulse and fire again, and again.

She was already feeling the strain, sweat running into her eyes, when she overheard Fayt and Maria talking. The Diplo, Quark's (whatever that was) celestial ship had joined the battle. Together they tried to drive the Vendeeni off, long enough for her friends to escape.

The smaller ship fought desperately and seemed to get the better of each exchange. The Vendeeni were forced to fend off attacks from the smaller ship and Elicoor's combined military might.

But it wasn't meant to be.

The enemy refused to give up. They repaid volley for volley with the Diplo. All too soon they realized the Diplo wasn't a match for the larger more powerful ship. And there were less and less of Airyglyph's forces left to support it as each second passed.

The Vendeeni were just too powerful, too determined. Nothing would detour them from their objective.

Fayt.

Nel gripped the controls tighter. The Thunder Arrow answered. Another shot. Another hit. No effect.

Wiping a sleeve across her face, Nel struggled to gather her waning strength.

Then a new power made itself known.

Twin bolts of blinding white light tore through the Vendeeni's shield barrier. The damaged ship, what was left of it, tilted awkwardly as smoke billowed from its side. It had barely started to fall before shattering in a blinding explosion.

Nel was completely at a loss. Judging by the arguing going on outside the cabin so was everyone else. It wasn't until the Diplo reported in that anything made sense.

She would learn later: The Pangalatic Federation had arrived.

The remaining Vendeeni ship, recognizing the Federation vessel as the real threat, ignored everything else. But they didn't immediately open fire. Maybe the angle was wrong. The Federation bore down them. The Vendeeni ship started to turn, tried to gain elevation.

Too late.

The new celestial ship had position and the element of surprise. And it used both to devastating effect. The Federation vessel caught them mid turn. Two more blasts of energy lit the sky, cutting twin lines across the ship's hull. A series of small explosions erupted from the Vendeeni vessel, starting at the rear of the ship and moving forward. In a matter of seconds the ship broke apart in front of her eyes, its remains scattered across the country side.

Nel kept her grip on the Thunder Arrow's controls, unsure if they were friend or foe.

As it would turn out, both.

"Marietta slow down! Repeat that!" Maria snapped into her communicator, all business. Then she started swearing. The girl had an impressive vocabulary.

"Whoa Maria! Language young lady." Only Cliff would crack a joke now.

"They're ordering us to land." Maria sighed. Nel imagined a grimace on her face. "They know we have Dr. Leingod's son."

Cliff's sense of humor vanished. Apparently Maria still had a lot to learn about swearing. Cliff took a breath "If they think-"

Maria's voice was flat. "They will destroy the Diplo if we protect the criminal."

_Criminal? _

Fayt said nothing.

"…what?" Cliff again, obviously at a loss for words.

"UP3 violations. Class 1 Offense."

And everyone started talking over each other. Cliff, Maria, Mirage.

Except Fayt.

"That's bullshit!"

"They must have been monitoring us for a while."

"Waiting for-"

"Bastards."

"It's a pretext, right?"

"Impossible to tell."

"What's the plan?"

"There's nothing you can do." Fayt. Finally.

"Fayt!" Cliff's temper flared. "Don't start that again!"

As sharp as her hearing was, Fayt's voice was almost too low to hear. Nel cursed being stuck inside the Thunder Arrow.

But when he spoke it was steady. "Suppose they don't know. The battle with the Vendeeni makes for strange allies, right? But try to hide me and they will destroy the Diplo and us." When no one spoke he continued. "If they do know about my dad's research…they will destroy the Diplo to keep us here. Then they'll hunt us down."

More silence.

Nel wanted to shout at them. She wanted answers. The UP3 sounded vaguely familiar. But everything else... There were just too many elements she didn't know about.

Again.

Something was going on up there. Everyone was silent for far too long.

"You'd better hand me over and claim to barely know me." Fayt's voice was disturbingly calm.

Ever since the Vendeeni first arrived, in the attack that killed Dion and so many others, Fayt had changed. Guilt weighed heavily on him. But he was getting better, or so she thought. Hoped? At Kaddan, after defending the sacred orb, she'd reached out to him, explained how he wasn't to blame. He'd responded.

"Maybe rough you up a bit?" Cliff joked. She hoped he was joking.

More silence. Another long drawn out pause before Maria spoke. "Crossel please land in the nearest clearing."

. . . . .

Maria climbed into the cabin of the Thunder Arrow the second Crossel touched down in the clearing, fury plain on her face. Nel was out of her seat and heading for the door when the younger woman glared at her. "Don't make it worse."

"Your plan is to give up?" Maybe it was unfair but Nel didn't care.

The blue haired girl's glare turned frigid. "It's complicated."

Nel wasn't impressed. "Explain it to me."

Maria didn't explain it to her. Didn't try. Instead she peered out one of the side panels.

It wasn't until later that Nel got her explanation. Before the others somberly returned to their celestial ship. As a human, Maria's presence would raise more questions. Cliff and Mirage would handle it. The two Klausians had crash landed together. Their ship was back in Airyglyph. They ran across Fayt in Aquios, selling his services as an engineer. (No idea how he got there. They never saw a Federation escape pod.) The two were waiting for the Diplo when the Vendeeni showed up. Who knew why the Vendeeni were attacking? The bastards seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. Hopefully, the bad blood between the two military powers would make the Federation sympathetic to the Klausians.

Nel peered out the same panel in time to see Fayt, Cliff, and Mirage walking away. Fayt without his sword, flanked by the two Klausians. Cliff raised his hand to his ear then brought them to a halt. Nel realized Maria didn't have her communicator.

They didn't wait long.

A flash of light and 5 figures in grey uniforms appeared, all armed. They immediately fanned out with weapons raised.

Cliff began gesturing. Mirage gave the occasional nod. Fayt shifted on his feet. He must have said something. Cliff drove a fist into his stomach. Fayt doubled over but stayed standing. Cliff stepped behind him. A kick to the back of his knees forced him to kneel.

Two of the soldiers approached slowly. One lowered his weapon and drew out something metallic.

Restraints.

The Klausians backed away. Another soldier took Fayt's empty scabbard, tossing it aside.

Another flash of light and Fayt was gone.

The soldier backed off. One of them, probably the leader, addressed Cliff. Cliff nodded in response and visibly relaxed. Whether it was genuine or selling the story, she couldn't tell. A minute later the two blondes stood alone in the clearing.

* * *

A/N: I hope there weren't too many grammatical errors. Kind of rushed and no betas will do that. I didn't want to leave such a small prologue up by itself.


	3. So close yet so far

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Star Ocean.

Do No Harm

Chapter 2: So close yet so far

A/N: Holy shit! A review! It was probably an accident. Anyway, I know its been a while since the game came out. So my thanks. I was surprised with the lack of Fayt/Nel pieces. Is it just me or does it seem like it's all Albel all the time around here?

* * *

Kirsla was as barren and dusty as Nel remembered it. Even during the war, it wasn't much to look at. The dull brown buildings seemed to blend into the mountainside, hard to believe that such a small unremarkable town had been a major source of Airyglyph's wealth.

So why of all places did she end up here?

With the message delivered, Nel's extremely trivial mission was at an end. Still she was grateful for the distraction. She had spent the better part of the day traveling, despite making good time. All in all, it was an uneventful trip.

During the war, traveling was always dangerous, even deep in Aquarian territory. With all the damage to the countryside there was a constant shortage of food. Even the animals became wilder, the boldest of the monsters had ventured far from their usual hunting grounds in search of prey. Livestock, horses, and the occasional human were known to be attacked.

And of course, hard times meant the people turned against each other. Bandits were the most common nuisance. They would lie in wait for vulnerable travelers, especially those traveling alone. But times had changed. The world, if not safe, seemed a little safer. She had passed from one city to another without incident, not a single threat from man nor beast.

Cowards.

Upon arriving at Arias an assistant had taken the scroll, broken the seal, and thanked her for her service. Nel had volunteered to wait for their response and deliver it to Aquios. So a room was prepared for her, while the still unknown orders were carried out.

Not that it mattered.

She'd done a quick inspection of their progress, not that Arias was under her command. Old habits were hard to break. She'd offered her assistance where she could. But everyone she spoke to, down to the lowest rank and file soldier, told her the situation was under control.

That was how Nel found herself with plenty of time and nothing to occupy it with. She'd left Arias with no real destination in mind. She didn't want to head back to Aquios. She wanted to disappear, to go unnoticed. Which shouldn't have been too hard for a spy. But lately she couldn't help but draw attention to herself in the holy city or even Arias. Everyone in the Crimson Blade seemed to be watching her (some under orders no doubt), waiting for…something.

But why did she come here?

Why Kirsla of all places? A town that held nothing but unwanted memories.

If she needed a distraction, why not at least go to Peterny?

Peterny might have been the busiest city in Aquaria and had been largely untouched by the war. Without a doubt it held the most positive memories for her. They'd defeated the Moonshadow Clan, met Roger (not all of _those_ memories were positive), and rescued the young flower girl Ameena.

Ameena.

Thinking of the fragile girl brought on a mix of feelings, most pleasant, others less so. The girl had been so sweet. And the way Fayt treated her. Contrary to Cliff's teasing, it was too easy to imagine the girl as Fayt's little sister. Seeing that side of Fayt, so protective, so compassionate.

That really wasn't a surprise. Fayt's defining trait was his compassion. It was that same compassion, not any type of personal gain that led Fayt to complete the Thunder Arrow, to aid a bunch of strangers on a world that wasn't his own.

Of course, she hadn't known that at the time. As far as she knew, they were engineers from Greeton.

Nel rolled her eyes.

She was supposed to be a spymaster. Gathering accurate information was her _job_.

No one, anywhere on the continent would have looked at those two and assumed they were engineers.

Yes, they were extremely intelligent. Was that how she convinced herself that they were telling the truth? Cliff looked more like a thug than an intellectual. But that might have been by design. He definitely enjoyed playing the fool at times. Then there was the way he fought, too calm, too practiced. She should have known immediately. When serious, Cliff talked like he was giving a mission briefing.

Fayt was harder to nail down. Too young to be an engineer, at least you'd think so. He did solve all the Thunder Arrow's design problems and in a matter of hours. Those same problems had stumped the entire research department for several weeks. Still not a good cover story, it made him stand out too much. And compared to the other engineers she'd met Fayt was too…strong? Lithe? Hot?

Nel lowered her chin, hiding behind her scarf. Not that there was anyone else around. Still…

_Athletic _

Yes. Fayt was too athletic. He might have passed as a soldier. In war young men were always called upon to fight. Then again, he was too intelligent to be a common foot soldier. Maybe a scholar? No, you don't become that good with a sword without spending hundreds of hours with one in your hand.

And he was quick. Nel prided herself on her speed, not that she'd admit it. But it kept her alive more than her swords, more than her runology, and she couldn't move across the battlefield like Fayt. Maria had mentioned something about Fayt being a "point guard", were they all such swift warriors? It probably referred to the point position in a military formation.

Of course! That made sense.

Who sends engineers on a rescue mission anyway?

Coming to a stop, Nel shook her head. These last few days… Too many things on her mind. Peterny. She'd been thinking about going to Peterny.

Nel could see the city banners now, tattered and faded, standing ominously over the buildings. A series of banners drew her attention to one particular building. The orange and silver banners of the Storm Brigade flew proudly over Count Woltar's manor. She couldn't think of one good reason to be here.

Back to Arias then?

Nel sighed and scanned the horizon. Airyglyph lay to the west. If Kirsla was a bad destination, Airyglyph might be the worst possible choice. War or no war, the Crimson Blade wasn't welcome there. She turned her gaze south. The Granah Hills stretched out before her, more empty dirt roads, and beyond that…

The Kirsla Training Facility.

Nel froze. That damned training facility. Yes, a lot had happened in Peterny. But Kirsla… the rescue. Everything had changed here. The revelation of what the town meant (and everything that happened afterwards) made her stomach twist painfully.

Because whatever walls had stood between them at the start of her mission, they had fallen here, at the training facility. Fayt had destroyed those barriers, closed the distance that separated them.

They couldn't even call themselves friends when they followed her here, coming to her rescue. She had known it was suicide to go alone. Had known before visiting their room. She'd gone to say goodbye. Because she would miss them. She'd liked them. Even if her mission still drew a line between them.

Then Fayt threw the mission away.

A soft smile found its way to her lips. Clair had told her about Fayt's reaction. He'd been furious. He'd risked his freedom and his life to save her. Because life is valuable and shouldn't be wasted.

"_You can't expect us to abandon you?!"_

It wasn't that simple. She'd told him as much, practically shouting, convinced she was right. And she was still convinced. So why was she so angry at herself? Why couldn't she think about anything else?

Nel looked at the road behind her, back toward Arias…and Peterny.

Peterny.

She almost laughed in frustration.

If Kirsla made things complicated, she didn't have the words to describe Peterny. She'd been lying to herself before about Peterny. Everything that happened there wasn't about her mission. They didn't fight the bandits, meet Roger, or rescue Ameena for the sake of Aquaria. Their journey hadn't been about her mission since Kirsla. It should have been, would have been. If she had kept them at arm's length.

Back at Peterny, when Fayt had agreed to help, she should have thanked him and negotiated terms as needed. Instead she'd been stunned, overcome with emotion. She'd known Fayt well enough by then, known his character, and how he felt about building a _weapon_. It hurt him to do it. He'd feel personally responsible for every life it took. And many lives would be taken before the war ended. Yet Fayt, her friend, had chosen to help end the war, to help them, help her.

That was why it meant so much to her. She'd waited for them outside and asked him if he was sure. Thinking back, had she actually tried to talk him out of it?!

Yes, she had- Wait. That was only after she'd had a chance to calm down. Her first reaction, standing at Ameena's bedside-

Nel almost groaned at the memory.

"_Fayt—you don't mean?"_

"_That's right. I'll cooperate with you. Of my own free will, of course. So let's go…before I change my mind again."_

Then she'd stared into a pair of green eyes and she'd…stammered, more like a love-struck girl than a member of the Crimson Blade.

"_Uh…okay!"_

Damn him.

Only Fayt could make her act like that.

Something drew her eyes back to the south.

A flash of light?

No, just wishful thinking-

Then another, unmistakable, and she was running. She didn't know, couldn't know, who it was. But whoever it was, they had answers.

. . . . .

Another surge of pain lanced through her and this time Nel couldn't hold back a curse. Her shoulder was on fire. She didn't bother to look at it. She was dying. She had to be. And she could accept that. Dying for the sake of her friends… suited her. But there were too many things left unsaid.

"I'm glad...I could help…before the end." She grit her teeth against another wave of agony. It was hard to speak. "I…never thanked you guys…properly."

"Don't talk like that!" Cliff barked at her.

She stared up at him and his odd companions. A young girl with brown hair…Ameena? Impossible. She was imagining it. And next to her, an older man with brown hair and green eyes stared back.

Something about his eyes caught her . Kind. The age looked about right.

Fayt's father.

She'd expected blue hair. Fayt must have gotten it from his mother. It was probably a rare trait. After all, there couldn't be a planet full of people with blue hair. Right? The absurdity of it almost made her laugh. Dying did strange things to people. Nel locked eyes with the man.

He certainly didn't look threatening. There was genuine concern in his eyes.

But if Maria was right (and the evidence was overwhelming). This same man had turned his son into a weapon.

Did he know what his son had been through? What Fayt had done to help her people or the price he'd paid?

Her next words were spoken to him more than anyone else. "Tell Fayt…I'm sorry." No. It wasn't what she wanted to say at all, dammit. But it was too personal to share among strangers. Out of all of them, only Cliff was a true friend. "Tell Fayt", she wanted him to know, needed him to know how much their time together meant to her. "My last thoughts were of him."


	4. Red and Blue

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Star Ocean.

Do No Harm

Chapter 3: Red and Blue

A/N: Sorry for any errors. Everything is unbetad. I really wanted to keep everyone in character. But it can't be helped.

* * *

Lights. Too bright, stinging her eyes. It took all the strength she had to turn her head away. Her body felt heavy. Her mouth, her throat, painfully dry. Like she'd slept for days. Where was she? Even her mind felt sluggish. She was lying on her back against something soft. How? She'd been heading towards Kirsla. No. She was _in_ Kirsla. Still wrong.

The rooftop.

The Vendeeni.

Was she dead?

She'd been wounded, grievously so. Just the memory of the pain made her shiver. Tentatively, she laid her hand against her injured shoulder. It was there. Unharmed. Whole. How?

Was this the Court of Souls?

Nel closed her eyes, shivered again. Would she be found worthy? The teachings of Apris had been part of her life as long as she could remember. But the Ten Precepts…had she lived up to them? She'd tried… when she could. The war… so much blood on her hands…so many hard choices.

She felt a presence looming over her. Her breath caught.

"How are you feeling?"

What?

Nel opened her eyes. A middle aged woman with brown hair in a white and red uniform was staring down at her. "You're on board the Pulsar."

Pulsar? What? Was it a name or place?

"Where?" Her voice cracked.

The brunette continued. "We got you out of the operating room a little over 6 hours ago. You've been sedated since, tissue regeneration is always a slow process." The woman, a nurse she assumed, moved about the room briskly. She pressed her hand against one of the walls and the lights became a gentle pressure on her eyes instead of stabbing into her skull. Then nurse spoke, seemingly to the air. "Doctor Kaon? You wanted to know when the patient regained consciousness."

"Thank you Chloe." A disembodied voice answered her. What kind of world was this?

Everything was still fuzzy. Doctor? She'd been in an operating room? The nurse had said she was on board. On board a ship? The uniforms, her wounds, was she?

"Is this a celestial ship?" Her voice broke again.

"Celestial ship?" She found that amusing. "I guess so. We're in a high orbit over Elicoor II." The woman tapped another console at the side of her bed and Nel found the bed itself moving, rising until she was in a sitting position. The nurse held a small cup of water to her lips.

On board…she was on one of their ships. That meant…

"Fayt…is he here?"

The nurse studied her for a moment. "Fate? You mean the Leingod boy? Yes, he's in custody."

She felt something uncoil in her chest. "I need to see him."

"That's not going to be possible. The brig is off limits."

The brig?

Not good. But he was alive. What to say? How much did they know? Best to tread lightly.

"He never would have broken any laws if it wasn't for me."

Or just blurt something out.

"So that's all it took?" The woman hummed softly. "Part of the reason we're staying is to figure out the extent of the damage he caused. That, and the wreckage of the Vendeeni ship isn't helping."

The strap across her chest was removed. The nurse gently prodded her shoulder. A little tender. But Nel would never have guessed she'd been hurt.

"Please extend your arm." The nurse led her through a series of simple exercises, testing for sensitivity. Nel marveled at her own recovery. Full range of motion, no pain. Not even a scar.

She should have been dead.

"Squeeze my hand as hard as you can." Nel complied as best she could. She felt tired, weak. "Not bad. The anesthesia is still in your system. Things will start clearing up soon." She pushed against Nel's shoulder gently, gradually increasing the pressure. "How much do you remember?"

She thought back. There was a battle at Kirsla. More of the Vendeeni were there. They had a device that did… something. She'd destroyed it or close enough. She'd been injured, near death. Then there were her last words, which she chose not to share.

The nurse nodded along. "I'm only telling you this because it sounds like you gave us a hand down there." She let go of Nel's arm. "There's a shaky alliance between us and the Klausian ship that fought the Vendeeni with you. We engaged another Vendeeni ship."

More Vendeeni? How many of these "ships" were looming over her world?

"I need to speak to Fayt."

The older woman just carried on. "Anyway, there was a skirmish with the Vendeeni planet-side. Looks like you were there. Reports are still coming in."

* * *

Nel slowly opened her eyes. The room, the lights, weren't so bright this time. She'd fought to stay awake as long as she could. As always, exhaustion won out. But she felt better, more lucid.

There were voices from the far side of the room. Two men, one in white the other in brown, were taking to the nurse. Too far away to hear them, but it was no secret what they were taking about. The way they were standing, tense and pointedly not looking in her direction, made it clear.

Several minutes later the nurse came back to her bedside. "Looks like it's your lucky day. You're going to get to see him."She gave Nel a sympathetic look. "First, we'll get you cleaned up."

Nel was given a pale green gown. The material felt more like paper than fabric, as if she could tear it at any moment. Was this what their people wore?

"That's just a patient's gown. We patched up your shoulder but your clothing wasn't so lucky." She gestured towards the other side of the room, for Nel to follow.

They reached the end of the room when the nurse placed her hand against the wall and an opening appeared.

She must have looked startled. The older woman gave her another friendly smile. "These panels here", she pointed, "open the doors. Unless they've been locked for privacy."

Nel followed her into what turned out to be a small room, made of metal and a white stone-like material. The nurse took the time to explain how to use the strange devices in the bathroom. And there were many. As bizarre as everything was, heated water and indoor plumbing were not something to take for granted. She must have taken longer than she thought. When she emerged from the shower a set of clothes was waiting for her.

Nel had wondered if they would give her a spare uniform to wear. Hopefully more like the soldiers, not one of the nurse's. But it appeared they had civilian clothing on hand. She assumed it was civilian clothing. A pair of pants and a long sleeved top, light blue and thinner than any fabric she'd ever felt.

She missed her armor.

Her first thought upon waking up was that she was a prisoner. Well, after learning she wasn't dead and awaiting the judgment of Apris. (That may have been the single most terrifying moment of her life.) So far, it was a warmer reception than she'd expected.

She paused, fingers inches away from the door. It made her suspicious. Of course, most things made her suspicious. A hazard of her work. But she'd gotten the impression the nurse was questioning her for more than simple curiosity.

Standing there, so close to the door, she could faintly hear voices outside. Leaning against it, she strained to make out the words.

"You're sure they were involved?" A voice she didn't know. Male.

The nurse answered. "No question. Definitely pining over a lost love."

Her jaw clenched. She wasn't pining! The rumors floating around Aquios were bad enough. Ever since Fayt's departure, she'd been treated differently by her subordinates. The boldest gave her pitying looks. The smartest stayed out of her way.

"Sir? Did something happen?" The nurse again.

Sir? Someone of authority.

"Turns out the situation isn't as cut and dry as we thought. We might need his help."

They needed Fayt's help? With all their technology? It was hard to believe. Yet, it explained why they were treating her so well. They wanted Fayt's power. Against who? The Vendeeni?

And how to use this to their advantage?

She didn't trust the Federation, not yet. Maybe not ever. Fayt was still be a prisoner. Was she just a pawn?

A third voice was wondering the same thing. "So the girl's what to us? Leverage?"

Leverage? How?

"We're not the Vendeeni." The other voice snapped.

* * *

Nel found herself walking down a hallway with the ship's commander and a single guard. A tense silence had taken hold. She would have preferred to say nothing, to force him to fill the silence and perhaps reveal too much. But the commander was being patient. Something she couldn't afford to be. She wanted answers. Besides, if she were to play her part (the worried and clueless lover) she couldn't stay silent.

"What's going to happen to Fayt? Why did you take him away?" While hardly clueless, the worry was genuine.

The commander glanced at her but didn't break his stride.

"One of the guiding principles of our society prohibits interfering with underdeveloped worlds. Our mere presence can have profound effects on a planet's development. Any interaction is punishable." He was referring to the UP3. He had to be.

Nel waited. The commander was taking his time, weighing his words carefully. "As for the scope of his crimes. Weapons technology is the greatest possible offense."

"He was trying to save lives."

He was trying to save his own life too.

_Agree to my terms and live or stay here and die._

That must have counted for something, should have counted for something.

Then, as if the commander had read her mind, "It would have been better for him to die than have advanced weapons technology fall into the wrong hands."

The words were too similar to her own.

_We cannot allow you to fall into Airyglyph's hands. I would kill you to prevent that from happening. It's nothing personal but it is my duty. _

That memory was one of many reasons she feared standing before the gods.

_Thou shall never punish the innocent._

Some of Apris' teachings were harder to follow than others.

"These are our laws. Every citizen of the Federation is expected to uphold them."

Nel had never truly understood the position she'd put Fayt in with her demands. His people soared above the heavens, travelled to countless worlds as easily as she travelled through her own country. They disappeared in flashes of light. One of their ships could conquer her entire world unchallenged.

They were practically gods.

She'd asked Fayt and Cliff to "lend" her people their knowledge. But you don't really lend anyone that kind of technology. That kind of knowledge opens a door that never closes. It changes the world.

She must have sounded so childish.

They walked straight through an intersection, turned left at the next one. Every corridor looked like every other. Nel kept the layout clear in her mind as best she could. Part habit, part precaution. There were strange marks on some of the walls and doors. No doubt they were significant, if only she could read them.

They reached the end of the hallway, two guards stood at a dead end. The two men immediately saluted. The commander nodded to one of the guards and the entire wall seemed to disappear.

And she finally saw him.

Fayt

He was sitting in the center of an open room, one arm resting on a raised knee, illuminated by a circle of harsh light from directly overhead. The rest of the room was cast in darkness and for a moment he was the only thing in the world.

Fayt was already looking to the open door before they had stepped through, his expression guarded. It worried her until she realized he couldn't see her, not while she stood within the shadows.

_It's meant to make him feel vulnerable._

Underneath a spotlight and surrounded by darkness, he was on display. Everyone could see him, with no way for him to know who was out there. Ten quick steps brought her into the center of the room, stopping only when she noticed a shimmering quality in the air around him. A barrier. Not runological, she was sure. But she felt a faint humming in the air.

He did a double take when he saw her, slowly rose to his feet and stopped on other side of the shimmering curtain.

She stared at him. There he stood, Fayt Leingod, not two feet away. Three days. She'd spent three days thinking about what she could have done differently, of what she would do if she saw him again. Three days of asking herself "what if" and "if only" and all the words she'd wanted to say to him had abandoned her.

So she kept staring.

"We have to stop meeting like this." He voice was soft. But in the stillness of the room it carried.

"Fayt…" was her brilliant response.

Why was this so difficult for her?

With words failing her, Nel looked him over more closely.

He didn't look hurt. Not obviously. Either the Federation didn't condone torture or they hadn't gotten around to it yet. But he looked haggard in a way she'd never seen before.

His normal gear had been replaced with an ugly set of orange clothing. Her eyes caught on the thick silver manacles on both his hands and feet. Fayt caught her gaze and raised one of his arms to eye level. "They're attracted to the floor, really slows you down."

Clever. She would never have imagined something like that.

"Fayt. I'm so sorry." And she was, for so many things. For getting him stuck in this place, dragging him so far into their war, keeping him from his father, threatening to kill him.

"Nel", He regarded her thoughtfully. "What do you have to be sorry for?"

How could he ask her that?!

"I asked you to build-"

He shook his head, cutting her off. "I made my own choices." He locked eyes with her. "Believe me when I say, I considered _all_ the consequences."

He sounded tired. No, worse than that. Accepting. Fayt had been defiant in Airyglyph, even after the interrogations.

But this was different.

_These are our laws. Every citizen of the Federation is expected to follow them. _

The Federation was his home. He'd accepted this place and his sentence.

What could she say to that?

"Nel. If anyone should apologize…" He looked away. "The shrine, the massacre. They were after me. You should hate me."

She had a response to _that_.

Is that what he thought? Was that why he couldn't look her in the eye? She'd never blamed him, not once. Maybe others would, if they knew the truth of the attack. Lasselle had been quick to lay the blame on Fayt's shoulders. But Lasselle was a bastard.

"Fayt." She wanted to grab him, shake some sense into him. She took a breath, waited for him to look at her again. "You made your own choices." Her voice was even, gentle. Fayt needed support, not a lecture. "They made theirs. You tried to save a continent from a drawn out war." Wasn't that enough of a burden to carry? "Don't try and take responsibility for the entire universe."

Now he was at a loss for words. His closed his eyes, like he always did when wrestling with his conscience.

"I wish I was an engineer from Greeton." The spy in her noticed the distinction. _I_ not _we_. Fayt was still being cautious, unsure who might be listening. But he'd smiled when he said it, a real trace of humor in his eyes.

Nel latched onto it. Crossing her arms, shaking her head in mock resignation. "How did I ever fall for that?"

"I was going to tell you the truth, except it would have made me seem crazy."

She smiled back. "Hmm, yes. I suppose it was better I find that out later."

The commander, who had no doubt been watching them closely, chose that moment to step into view. "If you will excuse us. We've arranged quarters for you." Before she could protest he motioned for one of the guards to escort her. "You will see him again shortly."

* * *

Nel paced back and forth, feeling like a caged animal. They'd shown her to a room and left her to rot. Okay, rot wasn't fair. The room itself was spacious, much bigger than her own quarters back at the castle. It had a large bed, a pair of dressers, and a small sitting area. There was even an attached bathroom.

Truly a lavish prison.

There was a guard posted outside. They'd asked that she not wander about. Not that she had anywhere to go or even knew how to get there. They'd gone through some sort of device to get here, stepping onto one platform and appearing on an identical one seconds later.

Now she was completely lost. If she could find her way back to the platform she wouldn't know how to operate it. Tired of pacing, she sat down at the small table. She'd gone over the situation in her mind a hundred times. And she'd gotten nowhere. She was tired, frustrated, and…not scared, just worried.

A sudden noise startled her. Three different tones, coming from the door. Nel tensed.

The noise repeated itself and Nel heard the telltale sound of the door lock releasing. She was up and moving before the door was fully open.

Fayt took three steps into the room and froze when he saw her.

"Your quarters sir." The crewmen, or woman in this case, called out from beyond the threshold. She looked slightly uneasy, watching them. "If there's nothing else, we'll leave you two alone."

That explained the room, the extra furniture, and the single bed.

His eyes darted to the door.

Nel stepped forward, reaching out, laying one hand on his chest. Fayt turned back to her. Before he could speak she grabbed a fistful of the coarse fabric. And she's rising, almost to her toes, sealing her lips against his.

He stiffened, then relaxed against her, his hands resting on her shoulders.

The door closed behind them.

Fayt let his hands drop from her shoulders.

And wrapped them around her waist, pulling her, molding her against him. He lifted one hand, cradling her neck, toying with her hair.

A pause, for air, and she whimpers softly, eyes closed. Then he's kissing her again.

She's more timid than he'd expected. Coy. So at odds with her usual character. He wonders if it's part of her culture or if she's just that inexperienced.

Or he would have.

If the last few weeks hadn't been filled with war, and blood, and killing.

If the last few days hadn't been spent in a prison cell, back with his own people but more alone than he'd ever felt.

And then there's Nel. Soft, and beautiful, and in his arms. And goddamn it's about time something went his way.

* * *

A/N: This chapter felt like it went on forever. Funny thing is, the scene b/w the two of them in the cell is the reason I started writing this whole mess. Anyway, I didn't want to keep spinning my wheels in Nel's head. Finally, something happened. I'd like to conclude this in 2 more chapters. I will try to bring it back in line with the game's events. Don't forget to review.


	5. Crossing the Rubicon

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Star Ocean.

Do No Harm

Chapter 4: Crossing the Rubicon

A/N: This ended up being a shorter chapter. Sorry about that. I hope it doesn't feel rushed or forced. Knowing how you want the story to end is easy (sometimes). Getting it on paper is hard. And unfortunately, unbeta'd. Enough with the bad news! On with the story.

* * *

An unfamiliar weight on his shoulder… something brushing against his skin. Fayt slowly opened his eyes. Stifling a yawn, he found Nel sleeping peacefully against his shoulder. He watched her, tempted to stroke her hair, worried about waking her. From his angle, he couldn't see the clock. Judging by the internal lighting it was still "night", hours before they should be up. Nel shifted again, pressing herself closer. Fayt smiled. Who would have guessed? Nel Zelpher liked to cuddle. He gently drew the bed sheet over her shoulders. Even if he was enjoying the view.

…_Fayt…it's my first…_

It was hard to believe. Fayt could only imagine how many men had thrown themselves at her. But now that he wasn't so…caught up in the moment, he realized he'd been thinking in terms of Earth's culture. No one could call the Bachtein Science University a party school but there was always a party to go to Friday night or after a win. Some of those memories made him cringe. They could get wild. And those parties weren't the worst of it, one step through a transporter put you in the heart of downtown. A world of drunken hookups and one night stands.

Except this wasn't Earth. Elicoor was literally a different world. Underdeveloped, with little in the way of birth control. And Aquaria was a theocracy, he could guess their views on sex.

Then there was Nel. Work, work, and more work. He knew her dedication to the mission. Hell he'd been her mission. His smile grew. Back in that dungeon, he never saw this coming. They were at each other's throats at the beginning. She'd made actual death threats. Or promises.

If they hadn't spent a month traveling together, fighting for their lives, relying on each other against all odds. Fayt gently brushed a lock of hair away from her face. She was beautiful. He'd thought that from the beginning, even when they were fighting. He wasn't blind or a fool. But the idea of coercing someone into building a weapon… It was disgusting.

Kirsla. That's where it started.

And as angry as he was at her for being so careless with her life, it felt good to go after her. It was the first real decision he'd made. Before that moment he'd been on a rollercoaster, hanging on for dear life while someone else dragged him around. First by Cliff (possibly the nicest kidnapper in the universe), then by Nel (maybe the most honest spy in the universe).

Strange, that he'd risk his life to save someone he barely got along with. And cruel as it sounded, he hadn't been thinking about Tynave or Farleen at all. Not at the start. Stranger still was how much things had changed between them afterwards.

"_Clair. I think I'll ride with them all the way to Aquios after all. Is that okay with you Fayt?" _

Escorting the two of them deep in Aquarian territory didn't really require the skills of a top operative. Yet, he was glad she was coming, when 24 hours earlier he wouldn't have cared to ever see her again.

Giving in to temptation, he idly began playing with her hair. Running his fingers through the red strands. She didn't shift. Didn't even tense.

"_Of course it's okay with me. Isn't that your mission?" _

Right. The mission. A comfortable lie. Like nothing had changed. And an excuse to tease one of the famous Crimson Blades.

"_That it is."_

Fayt grinned. She was an awful lair.

* * *

Slice. Slip. Thrust.

Backstep. Backstep.

Slip. Slip. Slice.

Nel fell back in a high guard.

Sheathing her blades, she grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat off her face. According to one of the digital devices on the wall she'd run that routine for close to two hours. Longer than usual, far longer than necessary.

Nel began removing her armor, pausing after taking off the breastplate, turning it over in her hands. Fayt had spent most of the morning with her, "mocking up" new equipment. She couldn't argue with the results. It looked identical to her old armor, except for the missing dings and scratches, but nothing could be further from the truth. This "carbonite" material was unlike anything she had ever imagined. More durable than the heavy plate worn by the strongest knights and still lighter than cured leather.

Nel smirked.

The armor had been the easy part. The rest of her equipment. Her top, her leggings, all made from a strange fabric, had taken more time. Fayt had tried to explain its properties as he helped get the sizing right. But the whole process had been surprisingly intimate. She'd be hard pressed to remember any of the details. All she knew was it was light, durable, and… form fitting.

Where the hell was he anyway? He'd been called away by the commander hours ago**. **

She'd never acted like this before. She had always followed her convictions. Yet, this was more… impulsive. It had been an impulse to kiss him, to keep kissing him. She sat down on the bed, twisting the rumpled sheets in her hands. A lot of impulses.

What now? They were from two _very_ different worlds. Was world even the right word? His people travelled between worlds like they were cities. To live like that, her gaze swept over the room. Compared to this place, Elicoor was…

So many questions. It scared her, unlike anything she'd ever felt before.

But was she really worse off than before? Thinking she'd never see him again. Staring at the night sky, wondering if she'd made a mistake. Was that what it felt like? To be "heart sick"?

Yes. She could admit it. Here, now, on this ship. But not before, back on Elicoor, thinking Fayt was gone forever. It was too painful, the wounds too fresh, to admit she was falling in love. So she'd lied to herself. Protected herself. Thrown herself into her work more fiercely than ever. Or tried to.

Had Clair known? Probably. Or at least suspected. Was that why the Queen had ordered her to take time off? Why Tynave and Farleen had tiptoed around her? Was she really the last one to figure it out?

She'd thought about romance before. She wasn't a machine, or even trying to be one. Some of her friends were wed. Most of them worried about falling in love, starting a family. Rozaria would not shut up about it**. **

Nel sighed.

That wasn't fair. It made her feel guilty just to think it. True, she'd lost count of how many times she'd heard the story of how the not-yet-king-of-Airyglyph had saved the priestess' life that fateful autumn day. As irritating as it was, Rozaria was such a sweet girl it was hard to fault her. But for Nel the idea of falling in love never felt real. Maybe someday. If there was time. If the war ever ended. But it had felt like the war would never end. She'd accepted a live of solitude and sacrifice. And a death to match.

She didn't want that. How could she? How could anyone, any person, want to die alone on a battlefield with nothing but empty titles to their name?

Nel shook her head. Enough of this. She'd made her choice.

She raised her arms and stretched, feeling the synthetic fabric resist. New armor, even the best the Federation had to offer, needed to be broken in. Leaving the breastplate on the table she drew her blades and planted her feet.

With nothing else to do…

Slice. Slice. Thrust.

Training helped her focus. There was a sense of purpose, of control.

Slip. Slice. Backstep.

Taking her measurements…the way his eyes had lingered…

Her lead dagger slipped from her grasp, turning end over end before driving itself into one of the wall mounted glass panels.

Training _usually_ helped her focus.

Nel muttered a curse. Retrieving her dagger, she inspected the now dark panel. A long thin crack ran the length of the glass. She didn't know how to fix it. Or how it worked. Or even what it did.

Maybe Fayt wouldn't notice.

* * *

It was another half hour before Fayt returned. She'd just stepped out of the bathroom, hair still damp, to find him pacing about the room.

Something was wrong. The way he was moving. Sluggishly. Almost like he was lost.

"Fayt." His head shot up. Startled. Didn't he hear the shower? When his eyes met hers. Not lost.

He was devastated.

She'd seen that before. On countless soldiers, civilians, men, women, children. More than that, she knew Fayt, remembered the look on his face after Dion and Ameena.

"Who?" He looked so haunted. She dreaded the answer.

He looked away. "My dad didn't make it."

How? Last she remembered, he was alive.

He sat down heavily on the bed. Head bowed. Now was not the time. Nel joined him, reaching for his hand. It hurt. Watching someone you love in pain. His father. The one he'd set out to save from the beginning. Perhaps if they hadn't spent so much time helping her people…

"Fayt…I'm sorry."

The words sounded hollow.

Slowly he began talking. To her or himself she wasn't sure. The Vendeeni battleship had been destroyed but not before some of them managed to escape. Cliff, Maria, and the others, had been taken by surprise. Their leader, knowing the battle was lost but driven mad by hate, killed Dr. Leingod to keep the Federation from getting him back.

It seemed so petty.

War. Hollow words. Petty acts. For all their technology some things would never change. He laid his other hand on top of hers. Covering her hand with his larger ones. Nel leaned against him, her head on his shoulder.

As his father lay dying, he didn't ask for forgiveness. Just a plea, for Fayt and Maria not to give up and where to go to find their answers.

Moonbase.

"I wasn't even there. When he needed me."

_Don't go down that road. You'll find no answers. _

She had been there. Both on the roof and in the same position as Fayt now. And she knew there were no certainties in war. Just as she knew nothing she could say would help. Every soldier feels the same way at some point. If only I'd been faster, stronger…

_You could drive yourself insane. _

"When do we leave?" she asked. When he didn't respond she pressed on. "Moonbase. His last words. Your answers."

Still he was silent. She was debating if she should push any harder when he finally spoke.

"You're right." His voice was soft, distant. A deep breath. "It was that important to him."

It was progress. Something else to focus on. Probably not the healthiest way to deal with loss, but that's what soldiers do. With nothing left to offer, she sat with him in silence, grateful for their new intimacy. Allowing her to be there for him.

She didn't know how long they sat there when inspiration struck. Maybe she could help. They'd need to talk to someone on the Diplo but there was _something _she could do for him.

"Fayt. Is it possible to contact Cliff or Mirage on the Diplo?"

A quick nod. "Yeah. That shouldn't be a problem." He stood up and walked towards one of the panels on the wall. Of course it turned out to be the one she damaged. He paused in front of the cracked screen. "When did this happen?"

"When did what happen?" She asked as innocently as possible. Or tried to. Fayt watched her, saying nothing. She looked away, felt her face heating up.

* * *

A/N: I really want to thank those who reviewed. It means a lot to know someone is taking notice. Especially since this is a relatively small fan base. The next chapter should be the epilogue and will bring it back in line with the game. And I'll try to wrap it up in a neat little bow.


	6. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Star Ocean.

Do No Harm

Epilogue

A/N: Here we are. The last installment of Do No Harm. At the beginning I said this would lean in the Fayt/Nel direction. I guess it's leaning pretty hard.

* * *

Nel paced the length of her assigned room on the Aquaelie. The space itself was eerily similar to the quarters she'd shared with Fayt on the Pulsar, with the same assortment of furniture and devices. All standard issue she was sure. The ships were first and foremost designed for the military, she supposed. Living arrangements appeared to be organized by gender. Probably to prevent illicit meetings.

Damn.

She wished she'd had a chance to speak to Fayt since transferring over from the Pulsar. But there had been a lot to discuss with the Commodore. During the briefing they'd learned that the Federation, and possibly the entire galaxy, was under attack from a previously unknown force. So far, the battle was not going well. They'd shared what little they knew, about the "Creator" and Dr. Leingod's research, which wasn't much. For now they had more questions than answers. Throughout the meeting Fayt had been distant. He'd asked questions, answered questions, and offered what he could. Then he'd hurried off to his assigned quarters at the first opportunity.

Cliff had wanted to talk to him but, looking uncomfortable, had let him go. Feeling guilty she imagined. Not that Cliff could be blamed for anything that had happened, but he'd promised to help rescue Dr. Leingod.

There was a knock on the door to her room and Nel found herself staring at a ghost. "Hello. Ah…" The girl bowed. "My name's Sophia. I didn't get a chance to thank you. For helping us." The girl was flustered. "I thought you didn't make it."

Sophia. The girl from the rooftop, during the Vendeeni attack. She was there when everyone had gathered on the Aquaelie.

Nel hid her discomfort behind what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Thank you for your concern. I'm doing well." Sophia seemed sweet and genuine in her concern. She was also a complete stranger to combat. That appeared to be the norm. Without question, Cliff knew his way around the battlefield and Fayt had picked up more than his share of experience fighting in the war.

Then there were the others like Maria. For all her bluster, the blue haired girl had never killed anyone up close before Kaddan. She still turned away from dead bodies, though she did her best to hide it. Out here battles were fought across vast distances, through view screens while sitting behind a console.

It was disturbing.

The younger woman brightened, returning the smile. For a moment Nel forgot who she was speaking to.

Ameena. The resemblance was uncanny. Even the way they acted. Kind. Supportive. Vulnerable. No wonder Fayt had rushed to the flower girl's aid. Anything less would have felt like abandoning his childhood friend.

A childhood friend who was falling in love with him.

The signs were all too obvious to Nel (now that she was observing them in someone else). Sophia had spoken to Fayt briefly when they were reunited, making no attempt to hide her relief. Then the girl kept stealing glances at him during the debriefing. Whether out of concern for him or the comfort of his presence. Probably both.

Which made Nel's current situation more than a little complicated. Sophia didn't know about her and Fayt. Nobody knew. Nel was inclined to keep it that way. Not that they ever made a conscious effort to hide anything. It was just easier this way.

Sophia. She and Fayt came from the same world. A world of spaceships and laser weapons and disappearing into thin air. They looked like such an obvious couple.

Even Maria, with her unresolved issues with Dr. Leingod made sense. The bluenette™ harbored some sort of feelings towards Fayt. They were bound together, by their powers if nothing else. As for herself, Nel was certain of two things. The first, that her relationship with Fayt would be complicated even on Elicoor. And second, she was the jealous type.

The door chimed, the same three tones used on the Pulsor. The Federation didn't care for variety. Before she could respond, the door opened revealing the last person she expected to see.

"I wanted to ask you about the Pulsar. Did they try anything?" Maria rarely minced words. The notable exception was when Fayt was involved. Maria's little "performance" upon arriving on Elicoor came to mind. She'd made it a point, almost playfully, to show off her detailed knowledge of Fayt.

Nel studied her latest visitor, unsure how much to share.

She found it hard to share anything, not wanting to betray Fayt's confidence. He wouldn't want them to know the details of his imprisonment. That information wouldn't help anyone. Sophia would worry. Understandable. Maria would just become more suspicious. Also understandable. But the blue haired girl's self-control was reaching a breaking point. She seemed to get more and more desperate as the answers to her quest hovered just out of reach.

"They treated my wounds", and saved my life, she finished silently. "At first", Nel paused, how to phrase it properly? "At some point they decided they needed Fayt's help." Or needed to use him. His powers. "They treated me well." Thinking they could use me. The nurse's assumptions about their relationship had galled her. If she only knew how things had turned out.

Nel fought down a smirk.

The door chimed again. It appeared her newest visitor was more patient. At this rate they'd need to go back to the conference room. "Enter." She called out. The door opened. Fayt had barely stepped into the room when he stopped, seeing her guests.

"Are you done feeling sorry for yourself?" Maria snapped at him.

That was a mistake. There were better ways to motivate people, better ways to lead them, then by turning everything into a confrontation. It wasn't always easy to tolerate Maria's attitude. Nel chalked it up to inexperience and insecurity. Still, better to not get involved.

Sophia disagreed. She stormed up to Maria, glaring at the blue haired girl. "That's a mean thing to say! His father just-"

Maria ignored her, never taking her eyes off him. Her voice breaking, "Fayt. Your father left something to us."

Silence fell over the room before Fayt finally responded, voice low, dangerous. "The ship is on its way to Moonbase. I'll use this time however I choose."

Maria sputtered. Fury and (surprisingly) hurt evident on her face. Sophia looked dumbstruck. Even Nel was taken aback by the sheer venom in his tone. Nel got the distinct impression that she was missing something. Despite the urge to act, Nel said nothing. They didn't need a fourth person butting into the argument.

Maria fumed. Silently. Why did it matter if he grieved while they travelled to Moonbase?

Not waiting for an answer Fayt looked past her, directly at Nel. "Do you have a few minutes? There's something you should see."

"Of course."

Tapping a key, he opened the door. He was stepping through when Sophia found her voice. "Wait." Fayt paused. Sophia carried on, all but pleading with him. "Maria has a point. It's not like you to be so depressed."

Nel almost rolled her eyes. Maria's "point" was to get over it. People didn't do that on command. And here, in the relative safety of the ship, the best way to move on was to grieve. What was Sophia thinking? Of course he was depressed. His father was dead. Was she so desperate to play peacemaker?

It was becoming more of a battle to stay quiet.

"Sophia." He sighed. "Not right now." Then turned on his heel and left.

Nel fell into step behind him. It wasn't until they turned into another hallway that she realized the girls might take it as a slight, her having left so abruptly. That wasn't her intention. After everything she'd been through with Fayt and Cliff, it was natural to trust them, to follow their lead.

Near the end of the hallway they stopped in front of a door.

"Where are we?" From where she stood it look like every other door on the ship.

"This is the aft observation deck." He smiled, having already put the argument out of his mind. Fayt wasn't one to hold grudges. Another keystroke and the door opened, revealing a walkway flanked by large clear windows on one side. "We may never see your world again."

"We talked about this-"

He shook his head, smiling wider. "So I wanted to make sure you saw this." His excitement was contagious. So when Fayt guided her down the steps, hand at the small of her back, she relaxed into him. They stopped in an isolated corner of the observation deck, standing before one of the massive windows.

A perfect sphere of blue and white and brown came into view. It didn't register with her immediately. Elicoor. Her world, floating before her eyes. She held her breath. Legs unsteady, she leaned into Fayt. He wrapped one arm around her waist and craned his neck to whisper in her ear.

"There", he pointed to the large reddish-brown shape. Land. "That's Greeton. It makes up the majority of the planet's land mass." She heard herself gasp or was it a whimper? It sounded so far away. Land. Her mind reeled. Greeton. A continent. The single largest country she knew and she could hold it in her hands. And above it, smaller shapes, barely visible. Only her experience with maps (and that seemed so…pale in comparison) told her they were the northern islands.

Fayt pointed again, westward, into a swirling mass of blue and white. "In a few minutes we'll be able to see Gaitt."

Gaitt. Home. It echoed in her mind. It felt surreal. The entirety of her world floated before her, strange and alien. And here was Fayt, a visitor from another planet, explaining its geography to her so casually.

"Elicoor", she whispered, reaching for a connection. Elicoor. The name felt different on her tongue. Lighter. Delicate. There were other worlds like this. Hundreds? Thousands? Slowly, the planet, her planet, turned and another reddish landmass took shape.

"It's so…" For what felt like the 100th time in 3 days she couldn't find the right words. The war with Airyglyph. The invasion of Greeton. The fall of the ancient kingdom of Aquor. Looking down on the planet, did any of it matter? Everything felt so insignificant-

"Beautiful." Fayt murmured. Her eyes darted to him. He was watching Elicoor, his expression peaceful, thoughtful. "You're world is beautiful." And he said with such honesty, it made her look again.

There it was. Small. And fragile. And _alive_. A beacon against a ruthless black sea. Sheltering all the foolish creatures that called it home, fighting each other to survive, without complaint or judgment. Unconditionally.

Nel laid her head against Fayt's chest. He wrapped both arms around her waist. Elicoor turned. Gaitt slowly drifted into and then out of view.

"I'm glad you're here."

Nel closed her eyes, feeling thoroughly drained and more than a little shaken. At the same time, content. An adventure loomed before them, dangerous and exciting. And if Fayt was going to walk that path, she would walk it with him.

"Glad. To be here."

The End (sort of)

* * *

A/N: Okay. So I adapted the scene between Sophia/Fayt/Maria after Dr. Leingod's death. I never liked that scene in the game. Maria kind of comes off as a bitch and normally she's not that bad. I see what they were trying to do. She's written as a no nonsense girl with a tough outer shell but vulnerable underneath. Predictable? Yes. They aren't even subtle about it. She is going to Moonbase even if she has to go alone! (Insert voice shaking as she turns away.) But it doesn't work in that scene. Instead she's just way out of line. And what the hell is Sophia trying to say in that scene?! His father died. He's depressed. It happens. Plus, I'm sure the ship can make it to Moonbase while Fayt grieves. Maybe the whole scene works better in Japanese.

I don't have a problem with Maria, Sophia, or pairing them with Fayt. I just think the whole scene was awful. Considering Maria lost both her adopted parents you'd expect some empathy. Now that I think about it they totally should have gone that way.

And yes, there is an overwhelming amount of Albel centric fics out there. He had his place in the game but I'm still surprised by how many stories of him are out there. I don't dislike the character. But a guy that kicks a woman that's injured and on the ground doesn't strike me as a brooding anti-hero. (Granted, Farleen is annoying.) He's just a jerk. It's almost an ordeal to search for stories about anyone else.

I would like to write another Fayt/Nel focused piece. Although I'm open to other couples. The multiple endings were the best part of the game for me. It will probably be a bunch of loosely connected one-shots…or snapshots of them together over the course of their relationship. I was originally thinking post game but that review got me thinking about the two of them over the course of the game. Maybe dig into Fayt's character a bit more. That's going to take some time though. I need to get it mostly planned out.

Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed. It means a lot to know that someone's taken an interest in what you're writing. Did the pacing feel okay? Or did it feel like everyone was rushing around at a breakneck pace?

After an author's note that long, I feel like I owe you something. Here goes!

**Bonus Scene:**

Nel walked along the main road of the holy city, turning down one of the quieter side streets. She'd gotten a lead from Tynave and didn't want to miss her target. The last sighting was in the cemetery, among the tombs of the honored dead. Normally, she'd be more focused but walking through the streets she'd known all her life, her mind wandered.

It was good to be home. The universe may have been saved. The war might be over. And as alluring as the thought of roaming the stars was, her place was here on Elicoor. Her comrades, her friends (not Albel), had returned to their own worlds among the stars (again, not Albel). She wondered if she'd ever see them again, hoped that she'd get the chance (yet again, not Albel). Thinking of them was of course bittersweet. Bitter because she missed them, had no way of reaching out to them. And sweet because-

She found her target standing before a large polished white stone. She stopped behind him. The wind at her back picked up, ruffling the blue hair of the man before her.

Sweet because there was one exception.

"How did you know to find me here?" Fayt wondered aloud, still facing the grave marker.

Nel frowned, wondering how _he_ knew she was there. She could admit she hadn't been the best fighter in their group or even the best sword. As a covert operative her skills leaned more towards infiltration. Stealth was something she took great pride in. How? She asked herself silently. Then asked him, not so silently.

Rather than speak, he raised a hand tapping one finger against his ear.

Nel narrowed her eyes at both the implication and the ambiguity. Impossible. What had he heard? One of her blades loose in its scabbard? Her footfalls on the cobblestones? She crossed her arms waiting for an explanation. Then realized he couldn't see the annoyed expression on her face. "You know I want a better answer than that."

Fayt smirked, still with his back to her. He wasn't about to tell her the truth. That he'd caught the scent of her perfume. (Fayt had it on good authority that she had only started to wear perfumesometime after meeting him and Cliff.) Or how it was impossible for him not to notice when he associated it so strongly with her. Or how the scent always lifted his mood.

"I asked you first." So he evaded, not yet turning to face her.

Nel sighed, promising herself that she'd get the answer from him later, one way or the other. "I asked around. Tynave thought she saw you heading this way." Tynave had seen him on the training grounds, where he usually spent his free mornings. When he left the training area, heading west, she put two and two together.

Normally, he would have gone back home to clean up. Well, technically it was her home, on the outskirts of Aquios. The same manor where she'd spent her childhood. Officially, Fayt had a dedicated room in the castle just like she did. However, maids liked to talk and his absence at the castle was already common knowledge.

Bored of talking to his back, she stood beside him in front of the gravestone. Although gravestone didn't do it justice. It looked more like an obelisk, taller than she was and polished to an almost blinding shine. The surface bore a simple inscription in Elicoorian and below that the "Terran" language used by the Federation.

Robert Leingod

Husband. Father.

Go With the Blessing of Apris

And

Our Eternal Gratitude

On board the Pulsar, she'd realized there something she could do for him. They'd contacted Cliff on the Diplo and had Dr. Leingod's remains sent down to the planet. One of her junior officers was to make arrangements for a simple burial, while they travelled to Moonbase. At least that was the plan.

A body appearing out of thin air did draw attention. Then it became known who was to be buried. Adray had gotten involved, with his usual brand of subtlety. He'd claimed that after everything Fayt had done for them, anything less would have been shameful. It was rare for Clair and her father to be in agreement.

She glanced at Fayt but his eyes were closed, his expression unreadable. "Would you like to be alone?"

He opened his eyes and smiled at her. The same easy smile that had sealed her fate (pun intended) long ago. "I was about to head back." They started towards the main gates, his hand at the small of her back. "I wish he could have known…that his plan worked. That I understand why he did it." He moved his arm, wrapping it around her waist and drawing her closer. "And that I'm happy."

The End (really)


End file.
